HS2 has revealed new pictures displaying the Edgcote Viaduct, which – after a structural redesign – has had its carbon footprint reduce by greater than 13% compared to the earlier design.

Set low into the panorama of west Northamptonshire, the 515-metre-long viaduct will carry the railway throughout the floodplain of the River Cherwell, south of Chipping Warden.

It’s considered one of greater than 50 viaducts being constructed as a part of the brand new Birmingham to Previous Oak Widespread line.

Edgcote Viaduct has been redesigned adopting the identical Spanish strategy developed for the Thame Valley Viaduct, close to Aylesbury. This lighter modular design cuts the quantity of concrete and metal required.

As an alternative of 5 beams per span, secured with concrete poured in situ, the staff will use simply two bigger ‘U’ formed beams per span, secured on to the subsequent pair of beams. Whereas not considerably altering the peak or size of the viaduct, this structural change will scale back the variety of lorry motion and pace up development. The principle financial savings are from transport somewhat than supplies.

At between six and eight meters excessive, the viaduct will likely be supported by 20 pairs of pre-cast concrete piers. From a distance, it will likely be largely hidden by current hedgerows and woodland.

We now have the Spaniards to thank for this design. EKFB – is a consortium of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Building and Bam Nuttall. Ferrovial firm FC Civils Options and pre-cast agency Pacadar introduced a variation to the desk for the Thames Valley viaduct based mostly on their expertise of Spanish excessive pace railways, utilizing two concrete beams per span as a substitute of the unique 4. This was checked and accredited by ASC, the three way partnership of consulting engineers Arcadis, Setec and Cowi that’s EKFB’s design advisor.

Pacador, which claims credit score for the unique idea, is casting concrete parts for each the Thame Valley Viaduct and now Edgcote Viaduct at its yard at Thamesport on the Isle of Grain in north Kent. FC Civils Options has been given the construct contract for each viaducts, appearing as subcontractor to EKFB.

This two U-beam system has been in use in Spain for a very long time. Spanish engineers needed to pioneer precast concrete options after the civil warfare as a result of it had no metal business. The Madrid-Seville excessive pace line, which opened in 1992, is all pre-cast concrete constructions with this kind of girder.

Paul Cooper, HS2 Ltd’s senior challenge supervisor, stated: “The success of the Thame Valley Viaduct design reveals {that a} two-beam strategy can ship dramatic carbon financial savings and pace up development – notably for longer viaducts – so it’s nice that we’ve been capable of roll it out once more at Edgcote. ”

In addition to modifications to the beams, the piers may even be narrower and prolonged to virtually join with the parapet edge, serving to to boost the looks of a light-weight and slender construction.

EKFB challenge technical lead Richard Smith stated: “In addition to vital carbon financial savings, the redesign of Edgcote Viaduct additionally incorporates many well being and security advantages together with much less working at top and fewer short-term works related to moist trades. There are additionally advantages to the native environmental reminiscent of diminished numbers of deliveries and actions on website, minimising the affect on native residents.“

The previous couple of weeks has additionally seen progress at HS2’s different main viaducts, with the primary concrete poured for the strategy viaducts for Birmingham Curzon Road station, the primary viaduct beams put in at Thame Valley close to Aylesbury and the completion of beam set up at Highfurlong Brook in Northamptonshire.

In complete, HS2 is constructing greater than 500 bridging constructions – starting from small street bridges to the three.4km Colne Valley Viaduct, which is able to turn into the longest within the UK and lately handed the half-way level.

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